Keto foods are a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet to treat epilepsy in children. Its objective is to burn fats rather than carbohydrates.
Besides epilepsy, this low-carb, high-fat diet is effective for diabetes and weight loss. In addition to increased ketones, it can cause a significant reduction in blood sugar and insulin levels.
The keto diet is divided into several versions-
- Standard Ketogenic Diet- It is a low carb, high fat and moderate protein diet. The diet is a mixture of 10% carbs, 20% proteins and 70% fats.
- Cyclical Ketogenic Diet- It involves periods of carbs. Such as- 2 high carb days follows 5 ketogenic days.
- Targeted Ketogenic Diet- It allows you to add carbs around workouts.
- High protein ketogenic diet- Except for a greater number of proteins, this one is similar to a standard ketogenic diet. The ratio of fat, proteins and carbs is 60, 35 and 5 respectively.
In all of these diets, cyclical and targeted are more advanced methods that are used by bodybuilders or athletes. You can follow any of these different versions but the standard ketogenic diet plan is the most recommended.
What is Ketosis?
It is a metabolic state where your body uses fat for fuels instead of carbs. It occurs when you reduce your consumption of glucose and carbohydrates which are the main source of energy for the cells.
It is advisable to follow a ketogenic diet to enter ketosis. Besides modifying your diet, fasting is another effective way to enter ketosis. Blood and urine help to determine whether you have entered ketosis by measuring the ketones produced by your body.
It can also be indicated through certain symptoms like- dry mouth, increased thirst, decreased hunger or frequent urination.
10 Keto foods help you to lose weight-
- Sea Food- The foods rich in Vitamin B and potassium are keto-friendly foods. For example- fish and shellfish. However, the number of carbs in different shellfish varies according to their types.
Salmon, sardines and other fatty fishes increase insulin sensitivity in overweight people because they are very high in omega-3 fats.
- Low carb vegetables- A low number of calories and carbs are found in non-starchy vegetables. On the same token, they are high in vitamin C and several minerals.
A majority of vegetables contain antioxidants that help protect against molecules that can cause cell damage. For example, broccoli and cauliflower decrease the risk of heart disease.
- Cheese- It is available in hundreds of types. Few of them which are low in carbs and high in fats are a great fit for a ketogenic diet. Acc. to studies, cheese is high in saturated fat and it may help against heart diseases. Here is a list of types of cheese that are low in carbs for a keto diet.
- Blue cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- Goat cheese
- String cheese
Cheese contains a minimal amount of carbs because it is rich in proteins, calcium and fatty acids.
- Meat and Poultry- These staple foods are rich in vitamin B and several important minerals. It’s better to choose grass meat because animals that eat grass produce meat with a higher number of omega-3 fats and conjugated linoleic acid.
- Eggs- Needless to say, they are one of the healthiest keto foods on the planet. This is because a large egg contains more than 6 grams of proteins. Finishing an entire egg is essential because a majority of the egg’s nutrients are found in it’s yolk.
They are high in cholesterol and are capable to protect eye health. Moreover, they can also protect heart health because consuming them doesn’t raise the blood cholesterol level in a majority of individuals.
- Coconut Oil- It contains medium-chain triglycerides and is used as a rapid source of energy. The product may help adults with belly fats and promote a sustained level of ketosis.
- Nuts and seeds- They are low carb, high fat and healthy foods. They are high in fiber and their consumption is linked to a reduced risk of heart diseases, depression and certain cancers. The number of carbs depends on the types of nuts. For example-
- 2grams net carbs in almonds
- 8grams in cashew
- 2grams in walnuts
- 3grams in pumpkin seeds
- 5grams net carbs in pistachios
- Berries- Unlike a majority of fruits they are low in carbs and high in fiber. These fruits are loaded with antioxidants that protect against diseases. Here are the carb counts for 100 grams of some well-known berries.
- 11 grams net carbs and a total of 16grams
- Blueberries 9 grams
- Raspberries 6 grams
- Strawberries 7 grams
- Butter and cream- They are good fats that contain trace amounts of carbs per serving. For many years it was believed that they contribute to heart disease because of their high saturated fat contents. However, according to recent studies, it was cleared that high saturated fat is not linked to heart diseases.
Like other dairy products they are carb-free and are rich in linoleic acids.
- Dark chocolate and cocoa powder- They are delicious sources of antioxidants. Dark chocolate by reducing blood pressure helps to keep arteries healthy and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Note- It’s essential to choose a chocolate that contains a minimum of 70% cocoa solids.
Final Thoughts-
For achieving health-related goals like weight loss and blood sugar management it’s essential to include keto foods into your diet plan.
Besides what to eat, it’s equally important to learn about what not to eat while following a keto diet plan. Chips, wafers, fast foods, mangoes, potato, cashew, juice and canola oil are some examples of the top foods that are to be avoided.
Remember, a keto diet is not for all. Before beginning the keto diet, it is advisable to consult with your doctor. It can lead to keto flu. A condition that causes the feeling of dizziness, difficulty sleeping and constipation for a few days or weeks.
It can be avoided by supplementing with electrolytes while starting the keto diet. Here, we discussed the worth of being healthy, what ketosis is and what keto foods are to be taken and avoided to meet your health expectations.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
